fox

/fɒks/

noun (pl) foxes, fox

1.

any canine mammal of the genus Vulpes and related genera. They are mostly predators that do not hunt in packs and typically have large pointed ears, a pointed muzzle, and a bushy tail related adjective vulpine

2.

the fur of any of these animals, usually reddish-brown or grey in colour

3.

a person who is cunning and sly

4.

(slang, mainly US) a sexually attractive woman

5.

(Bible)

a jackal

an image of a false prophet

6.

(nautical) small stuff made from yarns twisted together and then tarred

verb

7.

(transitive) to perplex or confound: to fox a person with a problem

8.

to cause (paper, wood, etc) to become discoloured with spots, or (of paper, etc) to become discoloured, as through mildew

9.

(transitive) to trick; deceive

10.

(intransitive) to act deceitfully or craftily

11.

(transitive) (Austral, informal) to pursue stealthily; tail

12.

(transitive) (Austral, informal) to chase and retrieve (a ball)

13.

(transitive) (obsolete) to befuddle with alcoholic drink

Derived Forms

foxlike, adjective

Word Origin

Old English; related to Old High German fuhs, Old Norse fōa fox, Sanskrit puccha tail; see vixen

Fox1

/fɒks/

noun

1.

(pl) Fox, Foxes. a member of a North American Indian people formerly living west of Lake Michigan along the Fox River

2.

the language of this people, belonging to the Algonquian family

Fox2

/fɒks/

noun

1.

Charles James. 1749–1806, British Whig statesman and orator. He opposed North over taxation of the American colonies and Pitt over British intervention against the French Revolution. He advocated parliamentary reform and the abolition of the slave trade

2.

George. 1624–91, English religious leader; founder (1647) of the Society of Friends (Quakers)

3.

Terry, full name Terrance Stanley Fox (1958–81). Canadian athlete: he lost a leg to cancer and subsequently attempted a coast-to-coast run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research

Old English fox, from West Germanic *fukhs (cf. Old Saxon vohs, Middle Dutch and Dutch vos, Old High German fuhs, German Fuchs, Old Norse foa, Gothic fauho), from Proto-Germanic base *fuh-, corresponding to PIE *puk- "tail" (cf. Sanskrit puccha- "tail").

The bushy tail is also the source of words for "fox" in Welsh (llwynog, from llwyn "bush"); Spanish (raposa, from rabo "tail"); and Lithuanian (uodegis "fox," from uodega "tail"). Metaphoric extension to "clever person" is early 13c. Meaning "sexually attractive woman" is from 1940s; but foxy in this sense is recorded from 1895.

Fox

Algonquian people, translating French renards, which itself may be a translation of an Iroquoian term meaning "red fox people." Their name for themselves is /meškwahki:-haki/ "red earths." French renard "fox" is from Reginhard, the name of the fox in old Northern European fables (cf. Low German Reinke de Vos), originally "strong in council, wily."